AI research to lift pig productivity

Jamie Day, Editor

Pregnapause, a spin-out company led by Dr Nicolas Orsi, Dr Nadia Gopichandran and David Brooke, has teamed up with Dr Grant Walling, director of research and genetics at JSR. The collaboration began in October of this year, after uncovering valuable correlations between their fields of research. Dr Orsi comments: "As part of the isolation procedure essential to both AI and IVF treatments, sperm is separated from seminal fluid and we believe that, following this, the incidence of embryo rejection may be higher. It seems that some components of seminal fluid are capable of suppressing the female’s immune system, enough to allow embryos to implant into the uterus, whilst still retaining the ability to fight infection. Our research focuses on finding the agents responsible. If we can isolate and supply them by other means we could create a more receptive environment in the uterus and improve implantation rates.”

 

Dr Walling agrees that the research will have valuable applications in commercial pig units. He says: “Failed embryo implantation currently limits both pregnancy rates and litter size in today’s pig units. Even small improvements in the number of piglets born alive per litter will have a massive economic impact, allowing the industry to remain competitive on the international market. Working with Dr Orsi and the team at the University of Leeds will give added impetus to our own programme. Once the right active agents are identified, we can start work together on designing and perfecting the means of delivering it."